2006 Auburn Tigers football team

Auburn defensive back Eric Brock tackled LSU receiver Dwayne Davis at the Auburn 5 yard line on the game's final play to preserve a 7-3 victory. The game's only touchdown was scored on a 1 yard run by Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox with 4:53 reminaning the 3rd quarter. The game was the lowest scoring game at Auburn since 1973.

*SEC Special Teams Player of the Week: Kody Bliss

Buffalo

Unranked Arkansas came into Jordan-Hare Stadium and claimed an easy 27-10 victory over the second-ranked Tigers. Sophomore running back Darren McFadden rushed for 145 yards, including a 63-yard run for a second quarter touchdown to lead the Razorbacks. Felix Jones rushed for another 104 yards to add to the Arkansas attack. Freshman quarterback Mitch Mustain's 50-yard touchdown pass to Monk in the first quarter set the tone for the Hogs, who won at Auburn for the third time since they joined the SEC in 1992. Auburn was limited to 213 yards total offense, and the Tigers managed only 60 rushing yards.

Florida

Auburn traveled to Oxford, Mississippi to take on Western-division foe Ole Miss for the teams' 31st meeting. In addition to leading the series 22-8, Auburn entered the game with a 7-1 record in Oxford. Behind an extremely balanced offensive attack, Auburn overcame two first-half turnovers to survive the trip with a 23-17 victory.

Ole Miss took the opening possession and drove 82 yards and scored the games first touchdown on a 27-yard end-around by Mico McSwain. Auburn answered with their scoring drive ending in 13-yard TD pass from Brandon Cox to wide receiver Rodgeriqus Smith. Auburn held Ole Miss on the next possession and drove down the field before Brandon Cox was intercepted by Charles Clark at the Ole Miss 12. Under quarterback Brent Schaeffer, the Rebels moved down the field to the Auburn 41 before stalling and being forced to punt and pinning Auburn on their own 2-yardline to start the drive. The Tigers opened up throwing to get out the shadows of their own goalposts and, continuing on the accurate passing of Cox, were able to move to the Rebels 40 before tailback Brad Lester fumbled at the end of a 6-yard run and the Rebels recovered but with only 45 seconds left in the half.

Auburn went three and out on the opening drive of the second half and on the subsequent drive, Mississippi was able to get within field goal range and take the lead 10-7 on a 29-yard field goal by Joshua Shene. Auburn's next drive was plagued by dropped passes forcing a 53-yard Kody Bliss punt. On Ole Miss' next play, Schaeffer threw over the middle and was picked off by safety Eric Brock at the Ole Miss 41-yardline, setting up a short drive for Auburn, ending in a six-yard TD run by Brad Lester and giving Auburn the lead 14-10.

After giving up another field goal to Auburn, the Rebels moved quickly, scoring a touchdown to tie the game 17-17 with 11:19 left in the 4th quarter. Auburn drove down the field but stalled once again against the tough Ole Miss defense and settled for another field goal by John Vaughn who because the Tigers' career leader in field goals made with the kick. Ole Miss was unable to move the ball on the next series and was forced to punt to Auburn with just five minutes left in the game. After an incompletion to open the drive, Auburn abandoned the passing game and let tailback Kenny Irons pound out the yardage and burn the clock. The Tigers drove to the Ole Miss 12 yd line before settling for a final field goal with only 35 seconds left to make the score 23-17. With no timeouts remaining and paying little attention to the new clock rules, Ole Miss could only manage one play as Schaeffer was sacked due to the Auburn coverage.

*SEC Freshman of the Week: Aairon Savage
*Lou Groza Star Of The Week: John Vaughn

Arkansas State

This in-state rivalry known as the Iron Bowl is considered one of the most bitter and intense in all of sports. The Tigers traveled to Tuscaloosa for only the sixth time, but kept their winning streak alive having never lost there. Auburn has currently won the last five meetings against Alabama and 13 of the last 21 games against the Crimson Tide, but Alabama still leads the series 38-32-1.

Alabama scored first, on a first quarter field goal by Jamie Christensen. However, the Tide had marched inside the Auburn five yard line, but was unable to get into the end zone. Two fumble recoveries deep in Alabama territory in the second quarter forced by Auburn's Quentin Groves enabled the Tigers to score touchdowns on short drives. Auburn running back Brad Lester ran for twelve yards to score first, with 11:12 to go in the quarter. Then, with 9:39 to go in the period, Kenny Irons rushed for eight yards to put the Tigers up 14-3. Alabama pulled to within five points late in the first half on a 52 yard touchdown pass from John Parker Wilson to Nikita Stover, making the score 14-9 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Alabama went ahead on a 13 yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Travis McCall, making the score 15-14. Alabama's second consecutive two point conversion attempt was unsuccessful. Auburn scored the decisive touchdown with 1:28 remaining in the third quarter, when sophomore receiver Prechae Rodriquez caught a 22 yard touchdown pass from Tigers quarterback Brandon Cox to retake the lead at 20-15. A halfback option pass from Auburn's Carl Stewart to Lee Guess for a successful two point conversion provided the final margin.

Nebraska (Cotton Bowl)

Auburn's strong regular season led them to be invited to play Nebraska in the 71st annual Cotton Bowl Classic. While the Tigers managed just 178 yards total offense against Nebraska and their two touchdown drives totalled just 23 yards, the Tigers defeated the Cornhuskers 17-14. Quarterback Brandon Cox completed 10 of his 21 pass attempts for 111 yards, and senior running back Kenny Irons rushed for 72 yards on 24 carries in his final college game as the Tigers finished the season with a record of 11-2. Senior wide receiver Courtney Taylor capped off his college career by catching six passes for 70 yards, and during the game set the all-time Auburn career record for pass receptions. Nebraska finished the season with a record of 9-5.

Fullback Carl Stewart scored both of the Tigers' touchdowns. The first score came in the first quarter on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Cox, and was set up by a 53-yard interception return by linebacker Karibi Dede. Stewart's second touchdown came on a one yard rush in the second quarter. The Tigers' drive began at the Cornhuskers' 14-yard line after an unsuccessful fake punt. Senior placekicker John Vaughn's 42-yard field goal in the third quarter provided the winning points for the Tigers. The Tigers played the Cotton Bowl without three players whose suspensions were announced by head coach Tommy Tuberville in December: linebackers Kevin Sears and Tray Blackmon, and running back Brad Lester.

*Cotton Bowl Outstanding Offensive Player: Courtney Taylor WR
*Cotton Bowl Outstanding Defensive Player: Will Herring LB

Postseason awards

Major Awards

*Lou Groza Award Finalist: John Vaughn

All-Americans

*Ben Grubbs, OG - ESPN.com, Pro Football Weekly First Team, Associated-Press Second Team

Associated Press All-SEC team

All-SEC First Team:
*Quentin Groves, DE
*John Vaughn, PK
*Ben Grubbs, OG

All-SEC Second Team:
*Kenny Irons, RB
*Tim Duckworth, OG
*Kody Bliss, P

Coaches All-SEC team

All-SEC First Team:
*Kenny Irons, RB
*Tim Duckworth, OG
*Quentin Groves, DE
*John Vaughn, PK

All-SEC Second Team:
*Ben Grubbs, OG
*Will Herring, LB
*David Irons, CB
*Kody Bliss, P

Freshman All-SEC Football Team
*Sen'Derrick Marks, DT
*Jerraud Powers, DB
*Aairon Savage, DB

NFF National Honor Society

Three members of Auburn's 2006 senior class were among the inaugural inductees into the National Football Foundation National Honor Society, a recognition program for players who excel both on the field and in the classroom. [cite web |url=http://www.footballfoundation.com/news.php?id=1143 |title=NFF Announces Inaugural National Honor Society |publisher=National Football Foundation |date=2007-04-25 |accessdate=2007-07-18]
*Kody Bliss
*Will Herring
*Karibi Dede

Trivia

* The 2006 Auburn team extended its win streak to five games over cross-state rival Alabama, matching Auburn's longest streak of dominance over the Crimson Tide.
* Auburn's Cotton Bowl match-up against Big 12 Conference member Nebraska was the team's first bowl appearance versus a member of the Big 12 since their appearance in the 1986 Cotton Bowl against Texas A&M. Since 1986, Auburn is 5-0 versus Big 12 conference members, having beaten Texas and Kansas each twice in addition to the Cotton Bowl victory over Nebraska. In bowl games, Auburn now has an all-time record of 6-5 against members of the Big 12.
* Auburn now has a 1-1 record in the Cotton Bowl.
* The 2007 Cotton Bowl was Auburn's first broadcast television appearance on Fox. In 1998, they appeared on Fox Sports South, the forerunner of Fox Sports Net against Ole Miss.

Related pages

*Auburn Tigers football
*Auburn Tigers
*Auburn University
*Southeastern Conference
*2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season
*2006 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

External links

* [http://www.auburntigers.com/ Auburn Tigers Official website]

References